


Susan's 'Humble' Origins

by Benfrosh



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, decided to post it for funsies, writing up a d&d backstory for one of my characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 11:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8054176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benfrosh/pseuds/Benfrosh
Summary: Susan is fed up with her arcane mentor and has stormed out of the village, into the welcoming arms of nature.





	Susan's 'Humble' Origins

Susan marched down the road leading away from the village, still fuming. _How dare he suggest that I don't have the patience for magic?!_ , she complained internally, forming her first coherent thought since leaving the sage's house. _It's his fault that my learning is going so slowly! If he'd just respect me, I'd be ten times further in my lessons by now! But- but- but!_ "Aaaaargh!" she let out in a yell, startling a poor bunny from a nearby bush.

Susan had spent the last six months in tutelage under the sage Bartholomew. She was the heiress of a wealthy merchant family, the Graces, from the capitol. Upon her coming of age her father, Tiberius, had offered her the opportunity to study any craft she could possibly desire - art, music, dance, trade, politics, anything at all. Susan, however, had fallen in love with the idea of becoming a wizard. As a child, she had seen elves in performances at the circus and run into enchanters through her mother Rose's dealings. They had with a wink and a snap performed the impossible in front of her eyes. To have power like that at her fingertips - the very prospect had filled her dreams with glee. A power like that felt greater than any achievable by money or politics to her - the power to make the imaginary real and tangible. Thus her father had found her Bartholomew and had persuaded him at length to take Susan upon as an apprentice. Susan had hoped that that would be that, and she would be well on her way to power and glory, but...

Really, upon her first meeting with Bartholomew, Susan should have known that things were not going to be as smooth as she had hoped. As she got off the carriage that had taken her to the isolated village where she was to stay as she trained, Bartholomew eyed her and her luggage train with suspicion. She was confused as to how to interpret the look, but her mother had raised her to be prim and proper. "Hello, dear sage Bartholomew, I presume? Where can I leave my luggage? And where shall we be staying?"

Bartholomew coughed, before taking off his spectacles and rubbing them on his sleeves. "Er, well, in my hut, over there." He gestured at what was no more than a hovel - a small house barely the size of Susan's sitting room back home. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to bring so much..." he trailed off, as he put his glasses back on. "What exactly is in there, anyways?"

"Oh, just the essentials. Dresses, ball gowns, shoes, hats - a small wardrobe so I can attend any balls or social occasions that may come up. Is there an issue?"

Bartholomew shook his head. "Young lady, do you have any idea what you're getting into?"

Susan immediately bristled at his tone of voice. "The name is Ms. Grace, thank you very much. And should the study of the arcane arts prevent me from enjoying myself in my spare time?"

"No, it's just- nevermind," he said with a sigh. "Let's just go inside."

After that it had been challenge after challenge - whenever she wanted to push further, he held her back, and when she actually needed his help, he chided her. She had been signed up for six years of study under him, but the six months she had already spent were like pulling fingernails. The latest source of her anger was when her latest attempt at casting a spell beyond the bare basics resulted in an explosion in her face. When she had asked the sage for advice, however, he had only scolded her for practicing her magic in her fine clothes, claiming that "with your mind so stuck in frippery, it is no wonder you are having such trouble with the basics."

 _Frippery? **Frippery?!**_ , she thought to herself reflecting upon it once more. _Is it frippery to indulge in something I actually enjoy as I work through the mind numbing tedious exercises you have me work through every damn day, old man?!_. Indeed, for all the arcane power and mystique she had been hoping to discover, after six months of intense, dedicated practice, she had barely learned how to sense the flow of arcane energy around her and perform basic parlor tricks with it (the first time she had dyed her hair magically was a standout delight in a sea of woes). There were children who could achieve more than she had so far.

Frankly, she reflected, blushing, it was embarrassing. To have such a specific goal and be told you're not worthy of it, over and over, and feel like you're proving your detractor wrong with every mistake... it was terrible. Utterly terrible. She pulled to a stop, her energy burned out of her, tears she hadn't realized were running drying up. She had marched right out after dinner, and she doubted Bartholomew expected her back. Now, though, she was at a loss for what to do. 

Susan looked around the road, not having come this far out ever. The village was in the middle of a placid countryside - nothing ever happened around there, much to Susan's parents' delight, concerned for her safety as they were. That said, it also meant there was basically nothing in the way of features. Except for this forested grove she was now in front of. A small cluster of trees and bushes hid what appeared to be a clearing around a small lake inside.

Susan had never really noticed it before. Really, she was never much of the nature type - she had spent all her time in cities or the village, rarely going for walks far past the village boundaries. Something about the clearing, however, seemed inviting to her - comforting, even. She stepped into the small patch of woods, a path seemingly opening for her as she daintily stepped through the underbrush.

As she reached the lake in the center of the clearing, she looked around to see that despite being able to see in clearly, she could no longer see out. A delightful, secluded area, just for her. Something she dreadfully needed as of late, and something she appreciated. Indeed, there was a large, flat rock next to the lake that looked for all the world like an inviting bench for her to rest on. She happily accepted the invitation, pulling up the skirt of her dress daintily. She noticed that for all the bushes and dirt she had stepped through, her dress was somehow still perfectly clean and unscathed. _If nature was always like this_ , she mused, taking in the quiet atmosphere around her, _I should come to forests more often._

Susan lost track of time as she sat there, relaxing for the first time in months, letting the quiet energy of the grove fill her completely. She was content to simply stare at the lake, tracing the movement of the water in the gentle breeze. She felt she could get lost in it, her eyes slowly drifting, her mind slowly emptying bit by bit until she... she held back a yawn... until she... she curled up to lie down on the rock... until she... Susan fell asleep.

The first thing Susan noticed when she finally awoke was that the nature around her seemed a lot more colorful and vibrant than when she had first drifted off to sleep. She supposed the nap had invigorated her, and things just looked better to her now. That was reasonable enough. What was not immediately reasonable was the woman in a bright green dress hovering above her, up close to Susan's face, inspecting it carefully as she flapped her large, glittering wings. Her golden curls were almost - no, now they were the soft brown of the soil - no, now the crimson red of the sunset - her radiant shimmering curls were almost drooping down into Susan's eyes. Her rainbow eyes probed Susan, delicately and yet with the graceful force of experience. 

Susan didn't react at first. Her heart was fluttering as fast as the woman's wings were. She could hardly take a breath, let alone form a complete thought. When she finally did, however, only one sentence bounced through her mind. _By the gods, I'm in love._

"Hello there," the mysterious woman asked, finally breaking the silence. "What's your name, beautiful?"

Susan open and closed her mouth. "Susan. Uh, Susan Grace. You can just call me Susan, however, Miss...?"

"Titania," she said, extending a hand to help Susan up from her lying position. "Queen Titania, of the Summer Court, at your service, Susan. But you can call me Titania."

If Susan thought her heart was going full speed before, it was nothing compared to now. Even she knew enough of myth to know of the Queen of the Fey. And here she was, face to face with the queen herself. Before she could faint, her training kicked in once more, and she demurely took Titania's hand in her own as the queen gently pulled her upright and sat by Susan's side. Susan brushed the (non-existent) dirt on herself and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Quee- thank you for stopping by, Titania. I must admit, I did not expect to have the pleasure of your company. I was merely looking for a resting spot when I happened upon here. If I interrupted anything-"

Titania giggled, covering her mouth with her impossibly fine and delicate hands. "Oh, no, my dear, don't worry. I just happened to pass by when I saw you sleeping there, and I couldn't help but stop by to check on you."

 _I surely hope that wasn't all,_ Susan thought unprompted, before pushing the thought out of her mind. "You have no need to worry, my Queen. I am perfectly fine."

"Please, call me Titania, Susan," Titania replied, gently placing a hand on Susan's shoulder and setting her off once more. "And don't try to tell me everything's okay - I could see the worry on your face as you slept." Titania's radiant smile drooped into a frown. "Is something troubling you? Please, feel free to tell me."

"Well... I don't wish to be rude to you, Titania. I'm sure you have much more important things to worry about than little old me."

"Perish the thought. Right now, my only concern is the well being of the beauty right here by my side."

Susan blushed. "Oh, Titania..."

Titania smiled once more, and Susan could barely handle it. "So please just tell me the matter."

Susan took a deep breath. "The one thing I've wanted for years now, more than anything, was the ability to perform magic. Real, arcane power, you know?"

Titania nodded. "Of course. I live and breathe magic, after all," she added with a grin. "The feeling is... indescribable."

Susan nodded glumly. "I thought I had the potential to be a real wizard, but my mentor..." She sniffled. "He's the worst. He always looks down on me, and insults me, and..."

Titania brushed away a tear rolling down Susan's cheek. "He made fun of your dresses too, didn't he?"

Susan nodded. "How did you know?"

"I've met his type before. Boring, stodgy, set in their ways... they claim to teach, but they just want to enforce their small minded standards on their students. No fun at all, really, and what's life without fun?"

Susan giggled, wiping away another tear. "I'm glad you understand me at least, Titania."

"I'm glad I'm here to help you." Titania took Susan's face in her hand, and Susan's heart skipped a beat. "I have a proposal for you that you may be interested in."

"A-a proposal?" Susan's mind immediately leapt to- no, but she couldn't-

Titania nodded. "I would love to take your hand in marriage. In return, I'll give you the secrets of fey magic. Thousands of years of arcane tradition, at your fingertips. Plus I'll give you a fraction of my power, to jumpstart you along the path you deserve."

Susan panicked. "D-d-d-do you mean you want me to stay here with you, forever?"

Titania laughed. "No, there's no need for that. I could never bear to tie down any of my spouses like that."

"Spouses?"

"Oh, I have many, many spouses. I would not expect to tie you down, and you should not expect to tie me down."

Susan nodded. It was only natural that Titania should have all the lovers she could ever desire.

"What I'd want you to do to go out, live the world, have fun and meaningful experiences. All I ask is that when you are near a forest, you call for me, and we spend time together, and you tell me of all the wonderful things you've seen and done. I'll always be there, whenever you need me as your wife. And," she added with a mischievous grin, "maybe you could be there for me now and again."

Susan could hardly believe what she was hearing. Marry the queen of the fey? That was - that was so far beyond what she ever dreamed. That was hardly a dreamable thing. The beautiful, elegant, mysterious Queen of the Summer Court, wanted to marry her? She would get a beautiful wife, arcane power, status - it was too much to bear. But there was only one answer. "Yes, absolutely, Titania," she said with a full smile and a powerful nod.

Titania grinned. "Then let us seal the marriage, here and now." And Titania pulled Susan in for a kiss, and...

When Susan woke up again, the forest seemed to have returned to normal. Titania was nowhere to be found, and she was lying once more on the cold rock. Susan looked around, and indeed it seemed as if barely any time had passed. _No... was it a dream? Did I hallucinate-_

But as Susan looked up at the sky to see the passage of the sun, holding up her hand to block the light, she saw a glimmer on her left ring finger. A glimmer coming from a diamond, set in a intricately carved wooden ring. Upon seeing it, she felt a force flowing through her - a force familiar yet new, like an old friendship turned into a passionate romance. She channeled that feeling and concentrated it into a point in front of her, coalescing into a book with intricate gold designs on the front and back, settling gently into her open hand. She opened it to the front page.

"To my dear wife Susan. Enjoy, - Titania"

Susan grinned. Truly, she was the luckiest woman in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the backstory for Susan, my Human Warlock with an Archfey patron (obviously).


End file.
